DATACARD CORPORATION

DATACARD CORPORATION Patent applications

Patent application number

Title

Published

20150258836

BACKGROUND IMAGE SECURITY FEATURE - A security document and a method for producing a security document are described. The security document includes a plurality of spaced spots integrally formed in the security document. The plurality of spaced spots and printed data overlap. The spaced spots are arranged to form an image. The method includes controlling a laser of a laser marking printer to integrally form the plurality of spaced spots in the security document. The plurality of spaced spots and printed data overlap on the security document.

09-17-2015

20150224810

BARRIER COATING FOR A SUBSTRATE - A barrier film, a document including a barrier coating, and a method for producing a document are described. A document includes a substrate, printed data on a surface of the substrate, and a barrier coating. The barrier coating is disposed between a portion of the printed data and a portion of an adhesive. The portion of the adhesive is disposed between a portion of a protective layer and a portion of the substrate.

08-13-2015

20140366753

PROCESS OF PRODUCING TACTILE DOTS, TACTILE DOT GROUPS, AND TACTILE IDENTIFIER MARKS - Techniques are described for the production of tactile dots, tactile dot groups, and tactile identifier marks on substrates that are tactilely recognizable by visually impaired individuals. Each tactile dot can be formed individually in the substrate, for example by separately embossing each tactile dot using a single punch and die pair. By using a single punch and die pair, the size, complexity and cost of the tactile dot embossing mechanism can be reduced, and the spacing between the tactile dots can be varied.

12-18-2014

20140347416

METHOD FOR DETERMINING PIXEL DROPOUT - A technique is described for determining pixel dropout in a printhead that has a plurality of print elements arrayed along an axis. In the technique, a dataset of integrated intensity values, in the printing direction on a substrate, of a captured image is generated and used to determine if pixel dropout has or may have occurred.

11-27-2014

20140345787

CARD DE-BOWING MECHANISM - A substrate de-bowing mechanism, system and method are described. The mechanism can include a substrate support, one or more stationary contact members, and one or more dynamic or movable contact members that are adapted to contact the substrate and bend the substrate in a desired direction to reduce or eliminate bowing of the substrate. The mechanism is controlled by a CPU or other controller that can adjust the de-bow parameters of the de-bowing mechanism based on input settings that can be dynamic and/or static settings. The mechanism can be used to de-bow a variety of substrates including plastic cards, passports, and passport pages.

11-27-2014

20140332152

CARD OVERLAY TRIMMER - Systems and methods for utilizing a trimming device to trim an edge of a plastic card having round corners, are provided. The plastic card has an overlay laminated on a major surface of the plastic card. The periphery of the overlay overhangs the edge of the plastic card. The trimming device trims the overhanging part of the laminated overlay by moving the trimming device along the edge of the personalized document in a direction generally parallel to the major surface of the plastic card.

11-13-2014

20140125786

TOPPING FOIL VISION VERIFICATION SYSTEM - A method and a system that are used to indirectly read embossed characters on a personalized document for verifying or recognizing the embossed characters. The method and system digitize an image of the embossed characters that is formed on a foil when applying coloration material from the foil to the embossed characters on the personalized document. The captured image on the foil is then used to verify and/or recognize the embossed characters on the personalized document.

05-08-2014

20140119616

MACHINE VISION VERIFICATION - Embodiments of systems and methods for directly reading and verifying characters on a personalized document, are provided. A surface of the personalized document is illuminated independently or simultaneously by first and second light sources. The first light source has a ring shape, surrounds the personalized document in 360 degree, and transmits a grazing incident light to illuminate the surface of the personalized document. An incident light from the second light source is reflected by a beam splitter and illuminates the surface of the personalized document in a direction generally perpendicular to the surface. Light reflected from the surface of the personalized document in a direction generally perpendicular to the surface thereof is collected by a camera.

05-01-2014

20140056681

BOOKLET SPINE GUIDANCE SYSTEM IN A BOOKLET PROCESSING MECHANISM - A booklet processing mechanism is described that includes a spine guidance system that is configured to hold the area adjacent to the spine of an opened, multiple sheet booklet against a backing plate during processing on a page of the booklet, for example by a laser or during vision verification. The spine guidance system is configured so that it resides closely adjacent to the spine of the booklet, below the field of lasing by the laser or other processing operation, so that it does not interfere with the processing operation.

02-27-2014

20140056680

BOOKLET GUIDE AND CLAMP SYSTEM IN A BOOKLET PROCESSING MECHANISM - A booklet processing mechanism is described that includes a booklet guide and clamp system that is configured to act as the guide during entry and exit of the booklet into and from the mechanism, as well as clamp and hold the booklet in its proper position during a processing operation, for example by a laser or during vision verification. The booklet guide and clamp system is moveable between a first position for guiding an upper, free edge of an opened booklet and a second position where the upper, free edge is clamped against a backing plate. At the second, clamping position, the mechanism is out of the way so that it does not interfere with the processing operation. Because the guiding and clamping functions are combined into one mechanism, only one actuator and one sensor are needed for the guiding and clamping functions.

02-27-2014

20130235394

PRINTING IMAGES ON A RETRANSFER MATERIAL HAVING A PREDISPOSED ARTIFACT - A method, printer, and retransfer material have the capability of printing images, including multiple color images, on a retransfer material that already has a preprinted artifact on the retransfer material. The preprinted artifact can include for example a hologram or other registered artifact, More particularly, a method, printer, and retransfer material allow for printing images on a retransfer material, where such images are not printed onto the preprinted artifacts present on the retransfer material. One or more indicia marks are detected by at least one sensor, so as to obtain the position of respective preprinted artifacts before printing images onto the retransfer material. Such can avoid printing images on the preprinted artifacts, The method, printer, and retransfer material may be incorporated as part of an identification document issuance system, where the method and printer can be applied to one processing module of such a system.

09-12-2013

20130220984

CARD REORIENTING MECHANISM AND METHODS UTILIZING SAME - Systems and methods that utilize a card reorienting mechanism are described. Generally, the card reorienting mechanism can transport and rotate a card without substantially contacting one of the principal surfaces of the card. The use of the card reorienting mechanism permits reorienting of the card without substantially contacting the principal surface of the card after the operation has been performed on the principal surface of the card. The card reorienting mechanism of the present disclosure can be useful where rotation of the card without contacting the principal surfaces of the card is desired moments after ink is applied to one of the principal surfaces of the card. In addition, substantially the entire principle surface is accessible for processing operations while the card is on the reorienting mechanism, such as for laser personalization or for image capture.

08-29-2013

20130125383

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING AN OBJECT - An object processing machine for processing a plurality of objects, the machine comprising: a plurality of processing modules, each processing module having a modular structure co-operable with the modular structure of another processing module to form a modular assembly constituting the object processing machine; each processing module being operable to perform a corresponding processing operation on an object and being provided with at least one transfer unit located at a respective port of the processing module; each transfer unit being arranged to transfer an object to or from the corresponding processing module and/or to or from a transfer unit of another processing module of the modular assembly; the transfer units being arranged to co-operate with one another and/or with another processing unit such that objects can be guided from an input of the machine to an output of the machine via a plurality of different transport pathways through the machine, wherein the transport pathway taken by a said object being processed corresponds to the pre-determined processing operations to be performed on the said object. A method of processing a plurality of objects using such a machine is also described.

05-23-2013

20130120515

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PERSONALISING A SERIES OF PORTABLE OBJECTS - Embodiments of the invention provide a method of and apparatus for graphically marking a series of portable objects, such as a card, each portable object being graphically marked on a respective zone by a respective marking device, wherein the marking devices are configured to perform the same marking operation simultaneously on a plurality of portable objects.

05-16-2013

20130032587

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR USED RIBBON DESTRUCTION - Methods and devices are described for securely destroying used ribbon from a document personalization machine in order to render any information retained on the used ribbon as unreadable. In one embodiment, the method includes tapering the used ribbon into a used ribbon strand by feeding the used ribbon through a tapering mechanism. The method also includes heating the used ribbon strand to fuse the used ribbon strand into a used ribbon string thereby rendering any data retained on the used ribbon unreadable.

02-07-2013

20130003104

USER INTERFACE FOR A CUSTOMIZED PERSONALIZATION DOCUMENT PRINTER OF AN INSTANT ISSUANCE SYSTEM - A remote user interface (RUI) for a personalization document printer of an instant issuance system is provided. The RUI includes a printer functionality component and a server functionality component. The server functionality component is configured to allow, for example a user to control user authentication to use the printer, control print queues of the printer, control print workflows of the printer, control RUI configuration, control remote access to printer user functions and a print preview displaying an image of the customized personalization document with image data and personalization account data, control storage and rendering of data to be placed on a customized personalization document, lock and unlock access to supplies and/or personalization documents in the personalization document printer, access administrative functions, and provide quality assurance functions.

01-03-2013

20120074107

SYSTEM FOR THE CALIBRATION OF OPERATING PARAMETERS OF A LASER ENGRAVER - The present invention concerns a system for the calibration of at least one parameter of a laser engraver, the laser engraver comprising on one hand an engraving system with a focusing lens positioned at a distance of the surface of an substrate intended to be engraved and on the other hand a vision system for at least the positioning and the verification of the engraving, the vision system including a camera associated with an appropriate illumination and, wherein the engraving device of the laser is arranged in such way that the engraving device works to engrave a substrate with specific engraved layout corresponding to variation of at least one parameter and wherein the vision system is connected to a comparison device of at least one measured engraved parameter with the template value of at least one stored data in a memorisation device connected to a engraving correction device.

03-29-2012

20120037295

SHEET MATERIAL WITH INDEX OPENINGS AND METHOD FOR MAKING AND USING - A sheet material with index openings for use with a card printer. The sheet material comprises a substrate layer and registered elements that alternate with the index openings. The registered elements can be, for example, card-sized patches of laminating material or holograms. The index openings are used to achieve proper alignment of the registered elements to the cards.

02-16-2012

20120018992

PRINTED SECURITY FEATURE FOR SECURE BOOKLETS - A security feature for use with secure booklets, especially those having a spine, for example passports, identification booklets and other types of ID3-sized documents. In one example, the security feature is printed across the spine of the booklet onto two adjacent pages. Most conventional, commercially available printers are unable to print across the spine, and therefore would be unable to reproduce the security feature. In addition, in the case of a booklet, for example a passport, that uses a stitching thread to secure the pages together, ink from the printed image bleeds into the thread. The presence or absence of ink in the thread can then act as an indicator as to whether or not the booklet is genuine or a counterfeit. Another security feature includes registration of a pre-print portion and a variable print portion that is applied during booklet personalization to form a combined image.

01-26-2012

20120006901

REAL TIME CARD PRINTING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A method for personalizing a presentation instrument for an account holder while the account holder is present is described. The method includes transmitting to a server computer a request to personalize a presentation instrument for an account holder who has a financial account with a financial institution. The request includes the account holder's name and background information indicating a background to be placed onto the presentation instrument. The method further includes receiving, at the server computer from the financial institution, presentation instrument data to be included on the presentation instrument. The presentation instrument data comprises an account number and an expiration date. Further, the method includes transmitting from the server computer through a financial institution network, personalization information usable by a printer to place printed personalization information onto a blank presentation instrument, and to electronically store account information onto the blank presentation instrument while the account holder is present.

01-12-2012

20110236164

LIFT DEVICE FOR PERSONALIZATION MACHINE AND PERSONALIZATION MACHINE EQUIPPED WITH A LIFT DEVICE - A lift device for personalization machine(s) for cards, in particular chip cards, placed at the output of a first transfer device and at the input of a second transfer device, the first transfer device being located at a height greater than the height of the second transfer device. At least one pair of shafts are spaced apart by a distance greater than the dimensions of the cards transversally to their direction of movement, each of the shafts being parallel to the direction of movement and equipped with a plurality of flaps oriented parallel to the shafts and having dimensions arranged to support at least a part of the cards and radially distributed around the shaft. The shafts of a pair being driven synchronously inward in rotation by at least one driving mechanism, so that two flaps guide a card during its descent in the lift device.

09-29-2011

20110217109

DESKTOP CARD PRINTER - A desktop card print having an improved automatic card feed hopper that employs a card picking mechanism that includes an automatic gate mechanism in combination with a card edge assist picker while providing a card exception slot for manual feeding of a card, a removable ribbon cassette that employs a magnetic encoder mechanism for tracking the motion of a ribbon mounted on the ribbon cassette, a scanning station that is configured and arranged to capture an image of one or more surfaces of the card as it passes the scanner, and a power take-off (PTO) gear adjacent the rear end of the printer for use in driving an additional processing mechanism to be mounted at the rear of the printer.

SHADOW IMAGE SECURITY FEATURE - A security document created by laminating a metalized foil between transparent layers, and modifying the outside of the foil to form a base color of the document, while leaving a window area formed by an unmodified portion of the foil. A laser is then used to ablate at least a portion of the unmodified portion of the foil in the window area to create an image. The window area includes the laser ablated image formed therein. The resulting image is transparent, with the image being visible from a front of the security document and visible from a rear of the security document.

02-17-2011

20100319845

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INTERLEAVING A MODULE OR CHIP - The present invention relates to a method for interleaving a module comprising the cutting out of the module on a strip, the gripping of the cut-out module, the conveying of the module right up to a station for affixing and adhesively bonding modules, the module being heated by heating means via heat conduction of an affixing system upon said conveying and then affixing of the preheated module consisting of positioning the head of a first guiding member on the upper portion of a second guiding member forming a mask showing the imprint of the module or chip (

12-23-2010

20100318808

METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR THE CUSTOMISATION OF SMART OBJECTS - This present invention concerns a customization method that represents a saving in time and an increase in yield, in the electronic customization of smart objects in particular, by virtue of:—a stage for establishing communication links between a multiplicity of smart objects held on a portable support, and communication interfaces,—a stage for simultaneous unlocking of the smart objects by means of a first key,—a stage for the parallel transfer into the memory of the smart objects of customization data proper to each of the smart objects, with these data being transferred into at least one memory zone of each smart object,—a stage for the locking of each smart object by means of second keys, each proper to one of the smart objects and each associated with the customization data proper to this object.

12-16-2010

20100264212

CARD PERSONALIZATION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and method for personalizing cards and other secure identification documents. The card personalization system and method provide improved data integrity, system reliability, and system performance. Improvements to card handling and processing within the modules, improved card transfer between modules, improvements to control of the modules, and other improvements are set forth, all of which contribute, individually and collectively, to achieving these goals.

10-21-2010

20100226576

CARD-COUNTING DEVICE - The device makes it possible to count series of products that are not very thick, stacked side by side, in a determined direction in a retention mechanism. The device includes a lighting mechanism producing one or more light beams covering the whole length of the stack, a detection mechanism with photosensitive elements and including an optical device, making it possible to focus light rays reflected by the stack, a processing mechanism receiving signals originating from the detection circuit, extracting light levels from these signals in correlation with a dimension of stack thickness expressed in pixels, and computing the number of products by determining the repetition of a pattern representative of a product in a noise-free signal resulting from a conversion of the signals received. A Fourier transform is respectively applied to correlation and bicorrelation functions of the signal in order to find a periodic pattern representative of a product if necessary to the nearest phase shift.

IN-LINE GIFT CARD PERSONALIZATION AND PACKAGING PROCESS - A machine that processes gift cards in an in-line process where the gift cards travel along a generally straight transport path from a card feed mechanism to a delivery end where the cards and carrier combinations are discharged. During the in-line processing, a magnetic stripe, integrated circuit chip or RFIID tag on the gift cards can be encoded with account information, a serial number or other information. In addition, the cards are transported to a print mechanism that personalizes the cards with a bar code. account information, serial number or other information. After printing, the cards are transported to a gluing system which applies adhesive to one side of the cards. The cards arc then transported to a feeding mechanism that feeds and applies a carrier to one or more cards.

03-25-2010

20100058365

FRAMEWORK FOR ENHANCED PRODUCTION OF PERSONALIZED DOCUMENTS - In a document personalization production system, an application framework is provided between a production manager and one or more machines to enable new hardware and/or new functions for the creation, production, printing, attachment, and delivery of personalized documents. The application framework provides the application program interfaces, the graphical user interfaces, and the plugins required to implement the new hardware and/or new function into an existing document personalization production system without having to reprogram the production manager. The application framework may comprise or connect a number of service modules so that production manager applications are compatible across multiple machines or stations of the document personalization production system.

03-04-2010

20100006650

HIGH SPEED PERSONALIZATION MACHINE - The present invention concerns a high speed machine for personalizing portable objects, incorporating an integrated circuit comprising at least one memory, the machine comprising a transfer device (

01-14-2010

20090153599

PRINTER SENSOR SYSTEM - A printer that provides improved image placement on documents including identification documents such as identification cards, credit and debit cards, and the like, and passports. The printer eliminates blind moves and mechanism errors to achieve repeatable image placement on the document surface with the correct horizontal image placement dimension. The printer senses an edge of the document to immediately initiate printing. The edge of the document can be either the leading edge or the trailing edge. The edge of the document can also be sensed by a separate sensor to initiate movement of a print head of the print station toward a print position.

06-18-2009

20090121409

PLASTIC CARD REORIENTING MECHANISM AND INTERCHANGEABLE INPUT HOPPER - A card reorienting mechanism and an input hopper of plastic card processing equipment, for example a desktop plastic card printer. The card reorienting mechanism is a modular unit that permits the entire mechanism to be inserted or removed as a single unit from the printer. In addition, the input hopper is designed as an interchangeable system that permits alteration in the card capacity of the hopper.

05-14-2009

20090039643

SECURE IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS - Improvements that prevent tampering of images on identification documents for example identity cards, credit cards and the like, and passports. The document includes a full color image of a person, and a second, full, achromatic image of the person formed underneath and spaced from the color image and in congruence therewith using a laser. The second full image is not visible underneath the first full image during normal viewing of the document, and is only visible upon removal of all or a portion of the first full image. As a result, the document and the image have no outwardly apparent visual difference to the document holder or to a would-be counterfeiter. This provides a covert security feature that is not known or seen until the document is attacked by removing the first full image.

02-12-2009

20080219745

INDENT PRINTING APPARATUS - An indent printing apparatus that is capable of indent printing on both sides of a document. A desktop card printer that uses the indent printing apparatus, a method of personalizing a document in the printer, and a ribbon cartridge used with the indent printing apparatus are also disclosed. The indent printing apparatus has first and second indenting mechanisms and uses first and second indent printing ribbon cartridges to enable indent printing on both side surfaces of the document.

09-11-2008

20080203157

STORAGE AND TRANSPORT MECHANISM FOR A SELF-SERVICE CARD KIOSK WITH RETURN AND REISSUE CAPABILITY - Improved mechanisms are described for use in an automated, self-service machine that is used to issue a card or other object to an individual, and allow return of the card or other object by the individual for later automated re-issuance of the card or object to the same or different individual. The mechanisms allow the machine to issue a card or object to a user, allow return of the card or object back into the machine, and later reissue of the card or object to the same or different user.